Union minister Dr Jitendra Singh said that converting crop residue into bio-bitumen could save around Rs 400 billion (bn) in annual imports and that the technology was developed indigenously by the CSIR–Central Road Research Institute and the CSIR–Indian Institute of Petroleum. He said the process and its large-scale adoption were being promoted through a technology transfer event aimed at industry uptake and that partial substitution of petro-based binders would strengthen economic resilience and reduce supply vulnerability.

He noted that India produces nearly 600 million tonnes (mn t) of crop residue every year and that much of it is routinely burnt, causing severe air pollution. He added that national consumption of bitumen amounts to eight point eight mn t annually, of which 50–58 per cent is imported at an estimated cost of Rs 250–300 bn. He said the new technology could bridge waste management and infrastructure requirements simultaneously.

Officials described the bio-bitumen process as a thermochemical pyrolysis conversion of lignocellulosic biomass such as rice straw and wheat straw into a renewable binder that can replace up to 30 per cent of conventional bitumen without compromising performance. They noted trial applications on road stretches that have demonstrated enhanced durability and significantly lower carbon emissions. The initiative was presented as a multifunctional intervention that could provide additional income streams for farmers while advancing circular economy objectives.

CSIR leadership and the ministry representatives outlined plans for standardisation, field validation and capacity building with industry partners and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to enable nationwide deployment. They said outreach and digital engagement would be prioritised to connect laboratories with industry and farmers and that cross?sector collaboration had accelerated adoption. The programme was framed as contributing to Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047 by reducing import dependence and supporting sustainable infrastructure.